Thrown Into McCoy's Feud
by phoward
Summary: Hatfields&McCoys. Pairing Tolbert/OC. When Novella Landon is only 7 1/2 she is moved from Asheville, NC to live with her Uncle Perry Cline near Pikeville, KY. As she grows up she is surrounded around a deadly feud that takes many lives with useless bloodshed. She also has to deal with falling for the one person most least expected, her ill-fated hot-head cousin Tolbert McCoy.
1. Meetin' Uncle Perry

Okay this is my first Hatfields & McCoys story ever! Now this one is from the McCoy side & features Tolbert/OC! So please be nice, read & review!

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**Meetin' Uncle Perry**

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I sat on the porch with my little bag packed as the autumn breeze wafted through my coppery-colored hair. My eyes were sore and burned a bit from all the cryin' I had done of late. My Mama had passed over the river Jordan to forever sing with the angels a few days ago after birthin' my step-daddy a baby boy. Since Mama was dead, Fred, my step-daddy was sending me off to live with my Uncle. I had never met my Uncle before, all I knew about him was that he had studied law in Louie-Ville Kentucky and had a house somewhere near Pikeville Kentucky. I was currently in Asheville, North Carolina along the Blue Ridge Mountains, sitting on the rottin' porch that was heavily littered with empty corn-likker bottles. My step-daddy was inside carin' for his son while I sat here in the autumn breeze with sunlight glittering on fallen leaves waitin' for my Uncle to get me from Kentucky. He was comin' to get me since Fred sent him word to, or at least that's what he told me.

At 7 1/2 years old I never thought I'd lose my Mama and be shuffled to be raised by some Uncle I didn't even know. Mama didn't talk much of her older brother, just that he was smart and had managed to use their Pa's money to get into fancy-smancy colleges and stuff.

* * *

I don't know how long I was sitting for, felt like hours, when I saw a carriage pull up being led by a pair of horses. The man in it had on a nice suit with a pretty fancy looking hat. He was tall with dark hair and a mustache. He smiled at me as he climbed out of his carriage. His smile seemed a bit fox like, sly if ya know what I mean, but still warm and nice. I watched as he walked up to the base of the porch.

He looked at me and said in a nice way, "Hi, why you must be Novella Landon, I'm your Uncle Perry Cline."

"Hi, Uncle Perry Cline." I mustered out in a small, frightened voice as I rose from my perch on the porch step with my small bag in hand.

"Come, child, we must get going to our home in Kentucky." He motioned for me to walk down to where he was with the slight wave of his hand.

I just nodded my head and walked down a couple of steps to meet my uncle at ground level.

"My, you look just like my sister. God rest her soul." Uncle Perry told me before we made our way to his carriage.

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After a long travel I arrived at my Uncle Perry's home. It was very nice and clean looking. It even had white wash on it! I hurried into the house as soon as the carriage stopped, I just couldn't believe that I would be in such a nice home. I forgot my uncle was their right behind me until he spoke up, sayin', "Your room's up the stairs first door to the right. It's simple but I imagine we'll be able to fix it suitable to your liking in time."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Perry." I replied politely, still not used to the idea of having to be raised by an Uncle I barely knew.

"Yes, you're welcome, Novella, now go put your bag in your room and go get cleaned up and rest a while. Later tonight we'll be having dinner with Aunt Sally McCoy and her family."

"Okay." I nodded my head and then went upstairs to find my room.

I didn't know much about my new family, I was nervous about goin' to Aunt Sally McCoy's tonight for dinner. I knew nothin' about her, never even heard of her neither. I pushed all of my thoughts about tonight's dinner with an Auntie I didn't even know existed to the back of my mind and quickly found my room. I opened the door and walked right into it and Uncle Perry was right it was very simple, looked as if it was for the use of guests not kin, but it was mine and it was nice enough for me.

As I unpacked my small bag that I had rested on my new bed I decided that maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all and maybe, just maybe, I could be happy. Happy like I was before Mama married Fred and before she passed away to the heavens.


	2. Meetin' McCoys

**Meetin' McCoys**

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I had been woken up from my nap by my Uncle Perry in order for us to make the buggy ride to Aunt Sally McCoy's for dinner.

We rode in silence down the dirt path surrounded by wild grass, trees, and occasional crops. I was looking over my shoulder just watching the endless line of trees we passed by whenever the voice of my uncle broke through the silence tellin' me, "Aunt Sally has children your age. Her daughter Roseanna's a year or so older then you if I recall."

"Oh, okay." I nodded my head while still fixing my gaze on the tree lines.

"Aunt Sally's husband Ole Rand'l McCoy's a good friend of mine. He's a good Christian man; I think you'll like him." He continued on with his explanations of his-our kin.

I didn't feel like listening to my uncle go on about kin that he was sure I'd get along with when I was feeling nervous about having to meet more new kin-folk.

"Now, Novella, you'll have to watch out for Tolbert McCoy." My uncle told me with seriousness etched on his face.

"Why?" I found myself curiously askin'.

"That boy's rowdy with quite the temper on him. He's bout 13 I believe." Uncle Perry explained as he snapped the reins, making the horses trot faster.

I just nodded my head after learning why I needed to watch out for cousin Tolbert.

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We pulled up to a wooden cabin that had a barn behind it and was surrounded by trees. The wagon wheels rolled over fallen leaves on the ground and made them crackle and snap. I saw a man with a beard sitting on a rocker on the porch. He waved at us and I figured that he must be Ole Rand'l. "Howdy, Perry, that the girl?" He asked as our wagon stopped in front of the cabin.

"Yes, this is Novella Landon; she's around Roseanna's age." Uncle Perry told Ole Rand'l as we walked up to where he was on the porch, after we had gotten out of our wagon and hitched the horse up to the post near the porch.

"You believe in God?" Ole Rand'l asked me, his eyes serious as he rocked in his chair.

I nodded my head at him while I followed Uncle Perry up onto the porch. "Yes, Sir, I do. He's my lord and savior, pray every mornin' and night. Oh and before every meal." I told Ole Rand'l as I stood infront of him, watching him rock in his rocking chair.

"Good girl." Ole Rand'l nodded his head in approval. "You'll make Roseanna a fine friend, kin too."

"Where is Roseanna?" Uncle Perry asked as he leaned against the porch railing.

"Inside helpin' Sally." Ole Rand'l answered. "Novella, go inside and meet Sally and Roseanna. Help them too, a'ight girl."

"Yes, Sir." I politely told him before turning around and heading to the front door.

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"Girls, set the table please." Sally, who was a nice lady with a messy bun full of dark hair, told me and my cousin Roseanna.

"Yes, Ma'am." Me and Roseanna replied politely. Roseanna had dirty blonde hair that she wore straight down hanging by her shoulders and bright blue eyes. She was nice and we were getting along good so far. I could tell we would be good friends.

"You like roast pork?" Roseanna asked me as we grabbed the dishes from the hutch they were on.

"Yea." I told my cousin as we went over to the table and began to set it.

"Good, that's what I made. Roast pork with potatoes and carrots." Aunt Sally smiled at me as she took the biscuits out of the stove.

Earlier me and Roseanna helped her Aunt Sally make the biscuit dough, while we all talked about our favorite flowers, and now the baked biscuits made from that dough smelled perfect.

"Food ready yet, Ma?" I heard a gruff voice ask as I saw light come in from the back door while me and Roseana sat down at the table, since we were now finished setting it.

"Yes, Tolbert, go tell everyone it's time to eat." I heard Aunt Sally say as she popped the biscuits out of the tray and onto a large plate.

I turned my head to see exactly who Tolbert was, since I was told to watch out for him, and I saw a tall teen with a head of bright red hair. He chewed on his lip before asking me, "You Novella?"

"Yes." I answered him with a small nod.

"Great, I'm stuck sittin' next to you." Tolbert grumbled and then walked off to go gather everyone for dinner.

Yea, I can see why Uncle Perry told me to watch out for him. So far he seemed a bit mean, I just met him and he already was grumbling about me taking the seat next to where he likes to sit. I decided that I was going to like my new kin. Roseanna was nice and I knew we'd be friends fast and Aunt Sally was nice too. Ole Rand'l was okay, he was Uncle Perry's friend so I knew he couldn't be bad. I was sure the rest of the McCoy children would be nice to me too. It was just Tolbert I had to keep away from.

* * *

After sitting down at the dinner table I was introduced to everyone by Uncle Perry. Everyone just said hi to me nicely while Aunt Sally placed food on everyone's plates.

"Hatfield thinks he can give me money at the bar and that makes up for him stealin' your land and his uncle killin' my brother. He's got a lot o'sand." Ole Rand'l shook his head and violently chewed on his pork dinner as he and my uncle discussed some man named Devil Anse Hatfield.

"Bullshit what it is, Poppy." Tolbert grumbled in my ear as his lips smacked while eating his helping of potatoes.

Uncle Perry smiled while telling Ole Rand'l, "His face must've been surprised when you left the money on the bar and walked away."

"Bet it was; all those Hatfields think they can do anythin' cause of their money. All goin' to hell." Ole Rand'l continued to complain to my uncle.

"We hate Hatfields; they ain't no good, nothin' but liars, murderers, thieves." Tolbert told me as he turned his head around, looking me in the eyes. "Stay 'way from Hatfields."

"Tolbert, stop scaring her, I'll tell her when she's old enough to understand." Uncle Perry calmly snapped at the redhead next to me.

Tolbert just rolled his eyes and continued to eat. The crowded table was mostly quiet other than the discussion my uncle was having with his friend. All the McCoy kids were well behaved and ate in silence. The silence was broken though when Tolbert told me, "If any of them Hatfields bother you, you let me know."

I just nodded my head. I honestly can't help but wonder why my grumpy cousin wanted me to tell him if I was ever bothered by a Hatfield. These people couldn't be that bad, could they?


	3. Simple School Matters

**Sorry for the delay, been really busy!**

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**Simple School Matters**

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The bell of the door dinged loudly as I walked into my uncle's law office after attending a long day at the local school house. I held some books flush against my chest as I made my way to my uncle's desk. Uncle Perry looked up at me from the scattered paperwork on his desk and asked me, "How was school today, Novella?"

"Fine." I sighed as I plopped my books down on the desk.

"Got a lot of schoolwork to do?" He asked me as I sat down at the chair that was opposite him at the wooden desk.

"Yep." I simply answered him as I opened up a book in order to read some story for my English Lit lesson.

My uncle nodded his head before he proceeded to tell me, "I expect you to have it done by time we leave here, Novella."

"Yes, Uncle Perry, I will."

"And if you finish early you'll help me by filing documents, understood?"

"Understood." I answered before I began to burry my nose in the book I needed to read a story from.

I always tried to get my schoolwork done quickly since I liked filing documents for Uncle Perry, since after all he used to pay me a bit to do it. So far I've earned nearly a whole greenback by helping file documents after school.

* * *

I wrote down the last arithmetic answer on my paper and smiled at my uncle, "I'm done with my schoolwork, Uncle Perry."

"Here, start filing them in the cabinets." My Uncle Perry pushed a stack of completed paperwork towards me.

"Lotta paperwork today, Uncle?" I asked him as I stood up from my chair and scooped up the stack I had to file.

"Yes, mostly simple matters such as wills and last testaments; land affairs."

"Oh." I said as I filed the documents.

"Have you been making any friends at school?" My uncle asked me, probably since I'd been going to school for over a week or so now and never mentioned any new friends.

"Not really." I shrugged as I continued to put the papers away in the proper labeled folders.

"Why not?" Uncle Perry asked as he looked up from his paperwork.

"I'm new's all." I explained, even though it was a bit of a lie. Most of them at school were Hatfields or their friends since the schoolhouse in the woods served both sides of the tug. My cousins, the McCoy boys, showed up to school whenever Ole Rand'l didn't need them on the farm which was maybe once a week or so. Teacher was even friends to the Hatfields I think, she even sneered her nose at me at times.

Uncle Perry just nodded his head at my answer and went back to work on his important papers.

* * *

The next day after waking up and eating some breakfast I walked to school. The walk seemed long and endless. After a short while I ran into my cousin Tolbert walking with Pharmer, Bud, Calvin, and 3 other boys I didn't know. "Get ova 'ere, cuz!" I heard a lanky boy with brown curly hair, who looked to be maybe the same age as Tolbert, shout at me and wave his hands at me.

I ran over to the boys in a hurry. "Hi." I told the boy who'd shouted at me.

"I be Jefferson McCoy, cuz." The boy told me with a lopsided smile upon seeing my confused look.

"I'm Parris is this is my brother Squirrel Huntin' Sam McCoy."

"Hi." I told them softly, still a bit overwhelmed about meeting more McCoy cousins."

"Novella, you can talk to them, they's kin and our friends." Tolbert told me as he rolled his eyes at me.

"Don't pay 'im no mind, he always like that." Calvin told me as he gave me a smile.

"Oh, looks like McCoys got the orphan with them today." I heard a lanky boy, bout 16, chuckle to a group of students, who I knew to be Hatfields and their friends, as me and my cousins walked up to the school house.

"Shit, Tolbert's gon'a kill ya Tom Wallace!" Jefferson snarled at the boy while pointing to Tolbert, who's face curled up into a large red stone with fire flying off of it.

"Watch it, mush-head!" Tolbert warned in a shout, his chest puffing up.

"Tolbert'll fight 'im for your honor." Parris explained to me as I looked a bit confused about Tolbert's sudden anger.

"Yep, for our family's honor." Sam said right when his brother was done his explanation.

"Oh…" I sighed, feeling a bit bad that I was going to be the cause of a fight.

"Who'd you be callin' mush-head, nasty McCoy scum?" The lanky teen, known as Tom Wallace, asked with venom in his voice as he quickly approached us. His friends followed closely behind.

"You, Tom, Who'd I be callin' a mush-head. Stupid ass." Tolbert grumbled loudly, his voice taunting the other boy as he quickly flung off his jacket and marched over to meet Tom.

"Gon be a fight! Fight, fight, fight!" Jefferson loudly chuckled as he grabbed me excitedly by the shoulder.

I just looked at him and shrugged. Boy, I knew that if someone told the teacher, which was mostly likely to happen, I was goin' to be scolded by Uncle Perry for participatin' in fights.


End file.
